Conservation volunteering with Bedfont Lakes Conservation Volunteers (BLCV)
#MoveTheDate Solutions
Personal / Community: Community project
Nature sub-categories: Conservation
Description: This volunteer group is dedicated to nurturing nature at Bedfont Lakes Country Park, including its two nature reserves and a community heritage orchard. The park is a 180 acre site in the borough of Hounslow, London, that's had a remarkable transformation over the last century, unfortunately getting worse before it got better. Once an orchard supplying the fruit markets of Covent Garden, it's gone from being mined for gravel and sand, to being a refuse landfill site, before finally being cleaned and transformed into a nature reserve and public park. The park now supports lakes, reedbeds, grasslands and wooded habitats that are home to birds, insects, amphibians and fish.
Website about this solution: http://blcv.co.uk/
Why I love this solution: Making a real difference can and should start on people's doorsteps, in their local community - it teaches residents to take ownership of their environment and spread that respect and care wherever they go. The volunteer group is largely made up of local people who've been coming for up to 10 years (!), though occasional and one-off volunteers are always welcome.